Iowa State's interdepartmental undergraduate BPMI major is designed for students who want to combine their interests and aptitudes in science and art. The major prepares students for careers in biological illustration or graduate education in medical illustration elsewhere. Graduates in BPMI enter fields such as biocommunications, environmental display design, scientific illustration, museum display design, and various areas in the publishing industry.

We are very proud of our curriculum; less than a dozen such opportunities exist for undergraduates in the United States. Students will be guided in their coursework by award-winning instructors who boast years of professional and academic experience. Students will also be assisted by an advising board of scientists and artists who will coach individuals through their collegiate career. Cutting-edge technological equipment is available to students when they join the program. A new computer center offers the latest in graphics and art software, scanners, and multimedia presentation programming. Art courses are taken in the Design Center, providing students with the best studios and computer facilities. Students become proficient in producing a broad range of artwork, including drawings, paintings, and photographs, which are scientifically accurate and aesthetically pleasing.

Students learn the latest artistic techniques, visual design skills, and the business of being a visual communicator. Opportunities to put those talents and skills to real-world use are available, since many students illustrate publications written by campus biologists. Internship projects have included the illustration of natural science textbooks and the design and production of large public murals.

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